Gujarat RD tableau to unveil ‘Swatantrata Ka Mantra:Vande Mataram’

With “Swatantrata Ka Mantra: Vande Mataram” as its central theme, Gujarat will present a visually striking and evocative tableau on Kartavya Path during the 77th Republic Day parade, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the iconic patriotic song “Vande Mataram.”
According to information, the tableau will vividly trace the journey of the Indian National Flag, highlighting its origins, evolution and historical significance alongside key milestones of India’s freedom struggle. The presentation seeks to evoke national pride, self-reliance and the spirit of independence that “Vande Mataram” has symbolised for generations.A defining feature of the tableau is its portrayal of the revolutionary legacy of Madam Bhikaji Cama, who unfurled the self-designed “Vande Mataram” flag on foreign soil in Paris in 1907, an act that resonated across the global freedom movement. The tableau also honours her Gujarati compatriots Shyamji Krishna Varma and Sardar Singh Rana, underlining Gujarat’s contribution to India’s revolutionary history.
At the forefront, a depiction of Madam Cama holding the historic flag takes centre stage. Beneath her half-statue, the words “Vande Mataram” are inscribed in various Indian languages recognised by the Constitution, symbolising unity in diversity. The same flag, later displayed at the Indian Socialist Conference in Stuttgart, Germany, is presented as a powerful emblem of India’s overseas struggle for freedom.The central backdrop narrates the evolution of the national flag—from the hoisting of a “Vande Mataram” flag during the 1906 bonfire of foreign goods at Parsi Bagan in Kolkata, to Madam Cama’s act in 1907, the Home Rule Movement of 1917 led by Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Pingali Venkayya’s 1921 flag design presented to Mahatma Gandhi in Vijayawada. The journey culminates with the adoption of the present tricolour with the Ashoka Chakra by the Constituent Assembly on July 22, 1947.The concluding segment features Mahatma Gandhi, symbolising Swadeshi and self-reliance through the charkha, set against a prominent Ashoka Chakra. These ideals, the CMO noted, continue to be reinforced in contemporary India through the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Adding cultural vibrancy, artists will perform to “Kasumbino Rang,” a celebrated composition by renowned Gujarati writer Zaverchand Meghani, revered as the “National Poet,” whose works reflect national consciousness and honour the sacrifices of freedom fighters.This year’s Republic Day parade will feature 30 tableaux, including 17 from States and Union Territories and 13 from Central government departments. The celebrations will be attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa as Chief Guests.The Gujarat tableau is presented by the Information Department of the Government of Gujarat and has been developed under the guidance of Secretary, Information and Broadcasting Dr. Vikrant Pandey, Information Commissioner Kishor Bachani, and Additional Director Arvind Patel, with key contributions from Joint Director Sanjay Kachot and Deputy Director Bhavna Vasava.

(State Correspondent)